HELENSVILLE HIGHWAY

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 319, 2 April 1928, Page 12

HELENSVILLE HIGHWAY

QUESTION OF REPAIRS COUNTY COUNCIL MEETS The Waitemata County Council, at a special meeting, discussed the question of repairs to the Helensville main highway. The Main Highways Board was represented by Mr. M. R. Wynyard, and Mr. J. McEnnis, chairman of the No. 1 District Highway Council, also attended. The estimated cost of the necessary work on the road between Henderson and ReAveti was £7,120, and the amounts involved in the Waipareira, Waitakere and Kumeu ridings were £750, £2,050 and £4,320 respectively, said Mr. A. Murray, the county engineer. The Main Highways contribution would be on a basis of 30s for 20s. Members of the council objected to a proposal to raise the rates in the ridings concerned to provide the necessary contributions, and the opinion was expressed that the subsidy was inadequate. Mr. Wynyard stated that 30s for 20s was the standard rate of subsidy for maintenance. Maintenance out of riding rates was an unsound proposition, said Mr. McEnnis. The council was attempting tp do too much out of riding revenue. Ir should treat the main highways as county roads. There could be no recommendation for an increased subsidy, in the event of funds being available, until he was satisfied that the council had done its best.

The council decided that the engineer be instructed to do what was possible out of revenue accounts in order to obviate the necessity for increasing the rates.